Is Donald Trump Trying to Prove Feminists Right About Rape Culture? New at Reason

Since the script writers for the lowbrow comedy-drama called “2016″ are fond of bizarre twists and turns, no one knows for sure whether Donald Trump’s quest for the White House will be undone for good by the 11-year-old candid audio in which he brags about his sexual advances toward women. Nonetheless, it is clear that the so-called “pussy tape”—in which Trump tells then-Access Hollywood host Billy Bush that his star status allows him to “do anything” to pretty women, including “grab them by the pussy”—has dealt a serious blow to Teflon Donald, until then largely unscathed by unsavory incidents.

Is this a sign of changing attitudes toward sexual misconduct—specifically, feminist-driven refusal to tolerate behavior once brushed off as “boys will be boys” but now unequivocally seen as assaultive and misogynistic? The response to Trump’s repulsive comments has been undoubtedly affected by the prominence of gender issues in this election and the fact that it follows a resurgence of feminist activism intensely focused on sexual violence. But as the experience of earlier generations shows, the cultural winds can shift in unpredictable ways.